Bangladesh is reeling under deadly clashes, with protesting students demanding that the Sheikh Hasina-led government scrap the controversial job-quota system
More than 50 people have been killed in the clashes that broke out weeks ago.
A total of 778 Indian students have returned to India from Bangladesh through various land transit points, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Saturday as the neighbouring country continued to reel under deadly clashes over a controversial job-quota system.
Indian missions in Bangladesh are in regular touch with the authorities concerned to ensure the safety and security of Indian nationals and students, the MEA said.
`Thus far, 778 Indian students have returned to India through various land ports. In addition, around 200 students have returned home by regular flight services through Dhaka and Chittagong airports,` the ministry said.
Bangladesh is reeling under deadly clashes, with protesting students demanding that the Sheikh Hasina-led government scrap the controversial job-quota system.
More than 50 people have been killed in the clashes that broke out weeks ago.
ALSO READ: Bangladesh PM Hasina cancels overseas trips as deadly protests escalate
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Friday said the total number of Indian nationals in Bangladesh is estimated to be around 15,000.
The MEA said the Indian High Commission in Dhaka and the assistant high commissions in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Sylhet and Khulna have been assisting the return of Indian nationals home.
`In coordination with the local authorities, measures are being taken by the High Commission and the Assistant High Commissions to facilitate safe travel to the border crossing points along the India-Bangladesh international border,` it said in a statement.
`The MEA is also coordinating with civil aviation, immigration, land ports and BSF authorities to ensure a smooth passage for our citizens,` it added.
The MEA said the Indian High Commission and assistant high commissions are in regular touch with more than 4,000 students remaining in various universities in Bangladesh and are providing necessary assistance.
Students from Nepal and Bhutan have also been assisted with their crossing into India on request, it said.
`Security escorts have also been arranged, where necessary, for their travel by road during repatriation through select land ports,` the MEA said.
`The High Commission in Dhaka is also coordinating with civil aviation authorities of Bangladesh and commercial airlines to ensure uninterrupted flight services to India from Dhaka and Chittagong, which can be used by our nationals to return to home,` it added.

‘We started out with over 306 000 applications in this backlog, and I’m happy to report that we’ve cracked 100 000 now, we’ve cleared more than 30% of that,’ says Minister of Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber.
JEREMY MAGGS: The new Home Affairs Minister, Leon Schreiber, has laid out his priorities saying his department is going to prioritise, among other things, dealing with the massive visa backlog, as well as stabilising the department’s online system. He joins me now and, Minister, first of all then can you provide more details on what specific measures are being taken to address this visa mess?

LEON SCHREIBER: So what we’ve done is to put together a team of people from different departments within Home Affairs who are working around the clock to clear this backlog. We’ve also partnered through Business Unity South Africa with Deloitte, that have given us additional resources in the form, not only of training, but also of people to actually sit around the clock and deal with this backlog.

So we started out with over 306 000 applications in this backlog, and I’m happy to report that we’ve cracked 100 000 now, we’ve cleared more than 30% of that. It’s really a key initial priority in the department to make sure that we get this backlog out of the way, give ourselves breathing space to then reform the way the system operates going forward.

JEREMY MAGGS: So what’s the expected timeline then, Minister, for the remaining 70%?

LEON SCHREIBER: Well, the concession that I granted on the first day in the job is running until the end of the year, and the only way for us to avoid extending that concession for a fourth time would be to actually clear this backlog before then.


So that is obviously the goal that we have in mind, but I’m pushing the team hard and making it clear to them that the sooner we’re able to do this, the better it’s going to be for our ability to avoid a repeat of the situation going forward. But I think it is a really important initial litmus test for whether we can move this department forward with the speed and urgency that is required.

JEREMY MAGGS: You have another issue and that is the Immigration Advisory Board. What immediate actions, Minister, are you expecting from this unit?

LEON SCHREIBER: So that board is in the process of being established. There are a couple of legal processes that we need to go through to advertise and invite people to join it, but essentially what it will do is bring together people from Home Affairs, senior officials from some other key government departments, and then a whole range of experts in the field of immigration and the administration of these processes.

The goal with that board will be to provide a forum where we can firstly repair relationships. I think it’s common knowledge that relationships with stakeholders have really broken down and we need to repair that.

The Department of Home Affairs is embroiled in far too many court cases, for example, that involve routine things where people go to court because they think that’s the only way in which they can actually get the department to act. So the forum will be important to bring those voices together and make sure that we can reduce litigation and improve relationships.

But then secondly, it’s also a powerful instrument for us to make sure that we get proper expert input. The statement of intent of the government of national unity talks very clearly about the need for evidence-based policy, and this is how the advisory board can play a key function in making sure that we get proper inputs on some of the policy matters that we’ll have to tackle.

One of them, of course, being the future of the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit [ZEP]. There are no predetermined agendas in this regard. The court made it clear in its rulings that went all the way to the Constitutional Court, that there must be proper consultation, proper input from experts to make sure that we deal with this particular matter and a range of others. The advisory board is an ideal forum for that.

JEREMY MAGGS: Minister, are you finding within your new department that there is a willingness among people to move quickly, given that this has not been the case in the past? And do you have enough people with the right skills to implement the changes that you are trying to make?

LEON SCHREIBER: Well, there are a couple of things to say in that regard.

The first one is that Home Affairs is massively understaffed. So when you talk about people, we have to start by pointing out that we are supposed to have 18 000 officials. We’ve got just about 6 900 at the moment.

So you can just imagine, massive understaffing is a huge challenge in this department. Despite that there are people who have made it clear that they want to come to the table.

I think there are officials who have not previously necessarily had the space to actually be elevated and empowered to do their job properly. I think we have great opportunities to achieve that by embracing technology, for example. So I think there are people who understand that if you’re that massively understaffed, you’re going to have to be innovative and especially embrace technology.

But, of course, then we also know that there are deep-seated issues of corruption in this department.

There was a report by the former director general [DG] in the presidency around this, and there are investigations from the Special Investigating Unit that are ongoing to make sure that we root out corruption and make sure that there’s a zero-tolerance approach to that.

So I think it’s a matter of finding good officials, elevating them. The people working on the backlog projects certainly are people who are willing to go above and beyond, and I think it’s important that we empower those kinds of officials going forward.

But certainly, there are some key appointments that will have to be made. I’ve got some critical vacancies and I really need to fill those as well going forward to make sure that we strengthen the capacity in the department.

JEREMY MAGGS: How deeply entrenched is the culture of corruption within Home Affairs?

LEON SCHREIBER: Well, I think that’s where the investigation by the former DG, Dr Cassius Lubisi, was really an important moment because it laid bare some of the issues that are manifesting itself really even at frontline level when it comes to permitting processes and applications and so on. So I think that there most definitely is a problem, but this is the kind of thing that you have to tackle as part of a bigger reform agenda.

There are ways in which technology can help reduce corruption, for example.

Then there’s the obvious need for disciplinary processes and prosecutions that reduces corruption. Then there’s the creation of a new culture, working environment, where people actually are rewarded for doing their job and going above and beyond, that also provides incentives to reduce corruption.

So I think weaved into everything we need to do at this department is the theme of making sure that we deal with this. But it’s a multifaceted approach and it involves a number of different reforms. It’s not only one thing, one silver bullet that’s going to solve this problem.

JEREMY MAGGS: How are you going to manage and reduce long queues?

LEON SCHREIBER: Well, I’m looking at a couple of ideas on how to do this. I think the first thing that will make a huge difference is simply getting the online system to be online. I’ve said repeatedly now that the idea of the system being offline is something that must become anathema in Home Affairs. It’s not a joke, it’s not funny. It’s not something we can accept.

So there are some ways in which we could do simple things like speeding up the internet connections. You would be surprised that some of these major Home Affairs offices are currently connected to lines with 10 megabyte per second speeds. That is just not sufficient. So there are a whole range of technological steps that we need to take.

But then I think the other thing we need to do is examine how to make better use of the online appointment system. My view is that one of the problems we have is that the queues are actually not integrated. So in other words, there are people who would make online appointments and show up in the timeframe that they’re required to be there, but then there are of course also walk-ins at many offices. That creates a real problem then with actually honouring the online booking appointments.

I think what we need to do is find ways of integrating the queues so that you have one queue to manage.

Finally, I would say that there are some innovative ideas coming. There’s one office in Epping, in Cape Town that has put together what they call the one-stop-shop model, where instead of having to go to a separate photo booth and a separate cashier, often that creates the bottlenecks, you’ll be able to go to a counter and get the full service, the photo, the payment, the processing, all in one spot. These things sound like simple things, Jeremy, but I think if we do these things right, you actually will see an impact on reducing the queues.

JEREMY MAGGS: Minister Leon Schreiber, thank you very much indeed.

I’m not sure what exactly caused this enormous backlog at the Department of Home Affairs.
Only one day in office and the new Minister for Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber, has made an impact. In his first official act he extended the temporary concession for foreign nationals who are currently awaiting the outcome of visa, waiver and appeal applications, until December 31, 2024.
Finally, some relief for around 145 000 applicants, many married to South Africans, who have been living in limbo and in constant fear of being declared an ‘undesirable.’
I’m not sure what exactly caused this enormous backlog at the Department of Home Affairs.
Clearly, something big went wrong. It is important to acknowledge that there are many extremely hardworking and kind Home Affairs officials.
As far as passport and identity document applications are concerned, the system has somewhat improved with the introduction of an appointment system and some bank branches becoming satellite offices. Nevertheless, the length of the queues remains unacceptable.
Hopefully Minister Schreiber will also be able to sort this out.
He might want to look at the extremely efficient online application system used by Ireland.
I recognise that this will not assist the many South Africans who are not able to use online systems, but at least it would shorten the queues significantly.
I also hope that the minister will now finally do the right thing when it comes to the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP).
Introduced in 2009, this permit gave Zimbabweans who were fleeing to South Africa for political or economic reasons, an opportunity to work, study and live here. However, for the last few years the government has been threatening to withdraw these visas.
It is estimated that such a withdrawal could affect over 200 000 Zimbabweans who, unless they can qualify for a normal work visa - something we all know will be nigh impossible given the high standards that the government has introduced for rare skills - will have to return to Zimbabwe.
Many of these Zimbabweans have been here for more than two decades and have married South Africans, who they have children with.
These threats by the government have left them in a state of constant stress and fear.
Almost all democratic countries around the world allow people to apply for permanent residence once they’ve been in that country legally for 60 months.
The previous minister of Home Affairs has argued that this was never the case for those on the ZEP, but the question is: why not? Isn’t it the morally right thing to do - not to mention international jurisprudence?
It is also often argued that Zimbabweans are taking jobs away from South Africans.
It is important to recognise that Zimbabweans contribute greatly to our economy.
Not only do they work hard in professions where employers often struggle to fill positions with South Africans, but they also buy goods here to send back to Zimbabwe.
Of course, there are always those who claim that Zimbabweans are involved in crime.
I have no doubt that some are, but crime is certainly not the prerogative of Zimbabweans.
If people are involved in crime, they must be caught and prosecuted - irrespective of nationality.
Let’s also remember that this is not part of the so-called leaky borders issue, where people enter South Africa without valid permits.
These are people who legally applied to be here through a scheme that the government voluntarily introduced.
Last year, after facing a litany of litigation the previous minister of Home Affairs extended the permits until 29 November 2025.
That was good, but this issue needs to be sorted once and for all.
Ultimately, this is an issue about compassion.
Zimbabwe might be a bit more politically stable today, but it remains a country of political persecution and massive economic hardship.
To force almost 200 000 people to go back there is inhumane and cruel and will result in devastating suffering not only for those returning, but the extended families they support.
It will also leave thousands of South African employers without workers who they have come to rely on.
I wish Minister Schreiber well. He was certainly handed a poisoned chalice, but if he improves the efficiency and humaneness of the Department of Home Affairs, he will not only contribute to the economy, but also become the hero of South Africans and foreigners alike.

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber plans to boost inspections by 50%, deporting those employed illegally.Home affairs Minister Leon Schreiber says in the coming year, his department will intensify inspections at restaurants, spaza shops, farms and mines by over 50% and take action - including deportations - against people illegally employed.

The initiative was started under his predecessor, Aaron Motsoaledi, who earlier this year called for harsher sanctions against business owners who knowingly employ undocumented foreigners.

Schreiber said the department was working on the provision of smart ID cards to naturalised citizens. He said 280 cards had already been issued and 697 were in progress.

“Once the system has been adjusted to verify compliant applications, all naturalised citizens will be able to visit any home affairs office equipped with live-capture facilities to apply for their smart ID cards,” he said.

Schreiber also announced that home affairs would urgently reactivate the Immigration Advisory Board. It will provide him with “evidence-based advice” on tackling matters such as the process of consultation on the future of the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit.

In his maiden budget vote speech in parliament, he said home affairs would focus on:

• Addressing visa backlogs and failure to process applications timeously;

• Safeguarding South Africa’s borders;

• Reducing queues by ensuring the online system worked effectively;

• Expanding home affairs footprint through introducing infrastructure and mobile trucks;

• Tackling corruption; and

• Strengthening international migration and refugee protection - in line with the provisions of the constitution.

To be effective in unlocking scarce skills, growing tourism and creating jobs, Schreiber said home affairs “must urgently clear the backlog in the processing of permits”.

The department, he said, had set up a dedicated team to reduce backlogs. “Our dedicated team has already reduced the backlog by processing 92 886 applications out of a total of 306 042.”

He added: “This is especially urgent because the department is currently inundated with costly court cases it cannot afford.

“In many instances, these cases stem from a simple inability to process applications in a timely manner - forcing clients to seek judicial relief.” Securing SA porous borders was “another side of the coin” - while attracting investment and tourism.

“South Africa needs to do much more to combat illegal immigration,” said Schreiber. “It is central to our national security, but also out of our commitment to economic growth.

“The reality is that no-one will want to visit or invest if we allow our country to lose control over its borders and internal security.”
Branching out

On shortening queues at home affairs offices, he said the department was “expanding our footprint and taking services closer to the people”.

“I am pleased to report that the project to expand into shopping malls has seen the opening of conveniently located offices in Menlyn Mall in Pretoria, Cresta Mall in Johannesburg and Pavilion Mall in eThekwini.”

On corruption, he said: “Theft, fraud and other forms of maladministration, pose an existential threat to the vision for a dignified home affairs that powers economic growth.

“This includes devaluing our official documents.

“Although the announcement by Ireland last week that citizens of South Africa and Botswana now require visas to visit the country did not specifically mention this issue, I am still going to request a meeting with the Irish ambassador, to understand the extent to which concerns over corruption influenced this regrettable decision.”

The Bargaining Council for Restaurants, Catering and Allied Trades had not been informed by the department about planned inspections.Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said he would be intensifying inspections to identify undocumented foreign nationals in some sectors including the food, mining and farming industries.

However, officials say they have not even been informed of when these inspections will start.

The general secretary at the Bargaining Council for Restaurants, Catering and Allied Trades, Maggie Pooe, said they were shocked to read the announcement in the news because “the DHA had not informed us about.”

She added that in Joburg alone in the past five years, the industry had seen a large number of foreign nationals, both documented and undocumented.

Implementing Immigration Act

The Immigration Act says anyone who knowingly employs an illegal foreigner or a foreigner in violation of the Immigration Act shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine or a period of imprisonment not exceeding one year for a first offence.

Earlier reasons behind the use of undocumented foreign nationals were said to be cheap labour and exploitation as employers knew that they could not report them as they would also be in contravention of the law.

The Immigration Act caters for the admission of foreign nationals to reside in South Africa and is connected with their ability to work.

However, the Labour Relations Act is applicable regardless of the legal status of the employee.

The LRA governs disputes relating to unfair dismissal and unfair practices and regulates the resolution of these disputes.

The CEO of Free State Agriculture, Gernie Botha, said they were not always informed of specific instances where such inspections took place.

“At the moment I am aware of one employer who was charged, although I suspect that there may be more incidents.”

Botha said, “When foreign nationals are employed, additional documentation needs to be provided. If noncompliance from the employer is found, the employer can be arrested for employing an illegal immigrant.